ARTICLES ABOUT CELLULAR TOWER BY DATE - PAGE 3

VoiceStream Wireless Corp. wants to build a 150-foot communications tower in the midst of a Bethlehem Township apartment complex, a mile east of the Route 33 extension. The township prohibits such freestanding structures in its residential zoning districts. But the communication company is seeking a variance so it can put the tower in the northwest corner of the Stevelaine Garden Apartments, 4041 Freemansburg Ave. "We tried all possibilities to colocate [the antennae] on existing structures, but the rooftops are so low in that area," VoiceStream spokeswoman Kirsten McAteer said.

To thunderous applause, the Summit Hill Zoning Hearing Board on Wednesday voted down a Lackawanna County cellular tower company's request to build a 200-foot tower in a neighborhood on the western edge of the borough. Zoners Clair Rehrig, Larry Marek and Daryl Cunfer voted unanimously and with little comment against SBA Communications Corp.'s request to exempt it from the use and height restrictions contained in the borough zoning ordinance. The board also voted, again unanimously and with little comment, to reject SBA's contention that it has "deemed approval," or the automatic right to build the tower because borough officials failed to schedule a prompt zoning appeal hearing.

Lower Saucon Township Council voted Tuesday to deny a proposal for a cellular phone tower after representatives of Cingular Wireless did not attend the conditional-use hearing. Township officials said they were not expecting Cingular to attend the hearing, since company representatives argued recently that Lower Saucon missed the deadline to rule on the matter, which would grant an automatic approval. Cingular, which is making the proposal in conjunction with Delaware Valley PCS Communications, recently published a legal notice stating its proposal was approved by default because more than 60 days passed since it first submitted its plans March 29. But the township did not deem Cingular's submission to be complete until April 27, giving Lower Saucon council until Tuesday to hear the matter, said Layne Turner, the township manager.

As in many other places, a telecommunications tower being built on North Street in Jim Thorpe has neighbors crackling with anger. The scenario is similar to those being played out in North Whitehall and Lower Saucon townships and in Hanover Township, Northampton County. In Jim Thorpe, officials must consider a Lackawanna County company's plans for a tower in the Coalport section. SBA Inc. needs permission to build it because the zoning code does not address the towers. The Zoning Hearing Board listened to three hours of testimony June 18, then decided to continue the hearing at 6:30 p.m. July 2 in Memorial Hall.

Lower Saucon Township Council will hold a special meeting on June 26 to rule on a Cingular Wireless propopsal to erect a second cellular tower, which would violate a township ordinance. A company attorney questioned the legality of the ordinance before the township's Planning Commission last Monday. Cingular's proposal was rejected. Cingular's attorney, John Mahoney, also questioned whether another township regulation that requires cellular-phone towers to be set back from property lines by 1.5 times the height of the tower would pass legal muster.

By CHRISTINE METZ Special to The Morning Call - Freelance | April 26, 2001

Supervisors in Hanover Township, Northampton County, will send representatives to a zoning hearing to oppose plans for a 135-foot cellular tower at Routes 512 and 22. The tower would be attached to a 78-foot PPL pole on Key Pontiac property. Singular Wireless would attach a 100-foot antenna, and Wireless Communications proposes a 135-foot antenna. The two companies are going before the Zoning Hearing Board today to seek a variance permitting the cellular tower in the commercial district.

Attorney John Heley says tonight's court-ordered reconsideration of the Springfield Township Zoning Hearing Board's approval of a controversial cellular phone tower is a foregone conclusion. "It's as sure as saying either Duke, Michigan State, Maryland or Arizona will win the national championship," said Heley. "They'll approve it again." Because the township stands to receive about $13,000 a year in lease payments for use of the site, plus future revenue from companies that might want to piggyback equipment on the tower, Heley said, officials are reluctant to turn down the proposal.

Housing developers in Upper Mount Bethel Township may have to wait until spring to file subdivision plans. The township supervisors will vote next month on extending six months a moratorium on major subdivisions. They also will vote on an amendment to their cellular phone tower ordinance. The supervisors imposed the moratorium last October so they could revise their comprehensive plan and zoning, subdivision and land development ordinances before considering new plans. Although the supervisors have been holding regular public meetings to work on those documents, they are not complete.

East Allen supervisors agreed Thursday that a cellular tower should be built in the township despite concerns that it would be in the flight path of a future runway. Supervisors voted to send a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration protesting an FAA ruling that the township may not permit Nextel to build the 150-foot tower near Lehigh Valley International Airport. The FAA is restricting current development for a plan that may happen in 10 years, township solicitor John Ashley said.